1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanned document management system for managing a paper document in a state in which it is scanned and thus is transformed into electronic data.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a general outline of a scanned document management system in the related art. In this system, an MFP (Multi Function Printer) 1, an authentication system 2 and a document management system 3 are provided. It is noted that, the authentication system 2 and the document management system 3 are those which are, in general, provided in a form of Web services.
In FIG. 1, when a user U scans a paper document D by means of the MFP 1 and delivers (transfers) the same to the document management system 3, the following operation is carried out.
That is, first, the user U requests the MFP 1 for user authentication with a user ID, a password and so forth (Step S1), the MFP 1 requests the authentication system 2 for user authentication (Step S2), and, when the authentication is succeeded in, an authentication ticket is issued (Step S3).
Next, the MFP 1 transmits the authentication ticket to the document management system 3, requests the same for authentication (Step S4), and the document management system 3 transmits the authentication ticket to the authentication system 2 to request the same for authentication (Step S5). Then, when the authentication ticket is determined as proper, the fact that the authentication is thus succeeded in is returned to the MFP 1 (Steps S6, S7), and thus, the fact that the authentication is thus succeeded in is informed of to the user U (Step S8).
Thereby, actual scanning and delivery of the paper document D is allowed (Step S9), the paper document D, which is then scanned and thus transformed into electronic document data, is delivered to the document management system 3 from the MFP 1 (Step S10).
Details of such authentication with the authentication ticket are disclosed by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications Nos. 2005-174302, 2005-166024, 2004-252953 and 2004-185396, for example.